Rotel Dip Recipe


60 Comments


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Make this easy Rotel Dip in just two steps with melty cheese, seasoned meat, and canned tomatoes. Perfect for parties, game day, or anytime you need a quick appetizer.

close up of rotel velveeta dip
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Why you’ll love this dip

Rotel dip has been around for a long time, but this version adds a few key upgrades to the classic Velveeta-and-Rotel combo. (Do you remember the commercials?).

  • Only 5 ingredients
  • Serves 12 as an appetizer
  • Easy to double for parties
  • Can be made in the crockpot or on the Stove-Top

Magic Ingredients for Rotel Cheese Dip

This creamy, meaty dip comes together with just a few pantry staples. Check the recipe card below for exact amounts and instructions.

  • Velveeta Cheese – Melts down into a smooth, rich base for the dip.
  • Ro-Tel Tomatoes – Two cans (undrained) add flavor, spice, and the perfect consistency.
  • Ground Beef – Browned and drained before mixing in.
  • Seasonings – A mix of chili powder and garlic powder adds just the right amount of heat.
tostito chops, velveeta, 2 cans of rotel, package of ground beef and seasonings in front of slow cooker

How to make Rotel Dip:

To make this easy crockpot dip, just brown the ground beef on the stove, then add everything to your slow cooker—cheese, Rotel, and seasonings. Let it cook until melted and creamy. Stir, switch to warm, and serve it right from the crockpot.

Variations

Make this dip your own with a few easy swaps:

  • Swap ground beef for Jimmy Dean sausage
  • Use mild Rotel or canned diced tomatoes to reduce spice
  • Omit beef and add black beans for a meatless version
  • Stir in cream cheese for a richer dip
spoon in rotel dip in slow cooker

My Serving Tips

We make this dip often, here is how we like to serve it:

  • Rotel dip is best served with corn tortilla chips, which can be store-bought or homemade. Here is the recipe I use: Homemade Tortilla Chips Recipe.
  • You can also use “Frito” corn chips – buy the larger kind labeled “Fritos Scoops”.
  • For a lower-carb or healthier option, you can serve the dip with vegetables such as carrot chips, sugar snap peas, cucumber, or celery.
  • If your dip thickens, add a splash of milk.
chip with rotel velveeta dip on it.
close up of rotel dip on a chip

Rotel Dip Recipe

4.64 from 19 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 (as an appetizer, estimate only)
Rotel Dip is a cheesy, flavorful blend of Velveeta, Rotel, and ground beef—perfect for game day or any gathering!

How to Video

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 16 oz. Velveeta cheese, (the small box)
  • 20 oz. Rotel® diced Tomatoes with & Green Chiles, (TWO 10-oz. cans, undrained)
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

For serving

  • corn chips
  • chopped cilantro, optional

Instructions 

Crockpot Instructions

  • Set a large skillet over medium high heat on the stove top. Brown and crumble the ground beef, drain the fat.
  • Add the cooked ground beef to the slow cooker, cube the velveeta and add on top of the beef.
  • Pour over the can of rotel and sprinkle over the chili and garlic powder. Stir.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or until cheese is melted and the dip is hot.
  • Tip: Keep the slow cooker on warm and stir occasionally to prevent sticking as it sits.

Stove Top Instructions

  • In a large skillet or pot, brown the beef and crumble over medium high heat, drain off fat.
  • Add remaining ingredients and let melt together. When warmed, serve and enjoy.
  • Note that cooking on the stove top will evaporate more liquid so you may have to add milk to thin the rotel dip.

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 643mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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Recipe Rating




60 Comments

  1. Hortence Hidalgo says:

    We add fresh cut tomatoes, cilantro, red onion and jalapeno and seasoned hamburger meat. I think that using sausage makes the dip too salty

    1. Karen Prentiss says:

      3 stars
      I used Italian sausage and cooked it like Burger first and then I put it in. Lots of more spice the hotter the better. It was absolutely a big hit. You can put bread pieces on the side crackers or tortillas it was yummy and I also put a little bit of sour cream in mine or cream cheese not much just a little yum yum

  2. Dee says:

    5 stars
    Tastes great on hot dogs!

  3. Dana says:

    5 stars
    Do Taco seasoning with your Hamburger and add 2 Tablespoons of sour cream and 2 Tablespoons of cream cheese

  4. Mark says:

    5 stars
    I make mine the same way but use 2 lbs of velveeta, makes a ton of dip!

    1. Robert says:

      Adding a can of cheddar cheese soup: at the end of cook , check for thickness, maybe a splash of milk:

  5. Sandra says:

    In stead of velveeta cheese try cream cheese

  6. Mary says:

    I make it with ground beef and sausage.

    1. Nancy says:

      1 lb meat and 1 lb. of sausage ? How much cheese? 2 cans rotel?

  7. Linda says:

    Iโ€™ve made this recipe with sausage in place of ground beef and cream cheese instead of Velveeta. Itโ€™s also excellent.

  8. Megan says:

    Can you use shredded chicken instead of found beef?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I don’t see why not!

  9. Jacquie says:

    This looks really good. The only change I would make would be to drain on of the cans of tomatoes. Can’t wait to try it.

  10. Ann says:

    5 stars
    I’ve made this dip for years, and was one of the recipes requested by my daughter in law after they were married.
    This dip is the easy way to my son’s heart!!!